Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong Calls for Boycott of Law Firms Employing Former SEC Officials

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has announced a bold stance against law firms hiring people associated with what he sees as ethically questionable actions during the SEC’s “early pre-administration.”

Armstrong revealed that the crypto exchange has already informed its legal partners that hiring these individuals would result in the termination of their professional relationship with the company.

Coinbase cuts ties with Milbank

In a post on X, Armstrong revealed that Coinbase severed ties with Milbank following the latter’s decision to hire Gurbir Grewal, the former SEC enforcement director. The SEC had announced on October 2 that Grewal would step down, highlighting his role in recommending more than 100 enforcement actions against non-compliance in the digital assets sector.

On Oct. 15, Milbank welcomed Grewal to its litigation and arbitration team, and chairman Scott Edelman praised his accomplishments as a federal prosecutor and SEC official.

Armstrong stated that this hiring resulted in Coinbase severing its relationship with the law firm. The Coinbase executive criticized senior figures at the agency for allegedly trying to stifle the crypto sector without clear regulatory guidance, noting that some SEC staff chose to leave rather than participate in what he sees as a “abnormal” mandate.

While clarifying that he opposes “permanently writing people off,” Armstrong called on the crypto industry to collectively refuse to fund people whose past actions contributed to what he described as an overabundance of regulation

Coinbase CEO aligns with Team Trump

Armstrong had previously championed pro-crypto figures in government, supporting Hester Peirce to lead the SEC. This reflects the exchange’s significant $100 million in political donations, including $40 million to Fairshake PAC. While Armstrong refrained from directly endorsing Trump’s campaign, his endorsement of policies like DOGE signals an openness to cooperating with the president-elect’s administration.

Last month, CryptoPotato reported that Armstrong is expected to meet privately with Trump to discuss high-profile government appointments crucial to the crypto industry, such as Treasury Secretary and SEC Chairman. Trump’s transition team reportedly arranged the meeting, reflecting the administration’s pro-crypto stance.

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